


Fall from the Summit

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-07 04:37:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10352403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: SPOILERS : Summit (from spoilers in Cult Times), Fair Game, The Curse, Fire& Water, Upgrades, Forever in a Day, The Serpent’s Lair .WARNING : Recurring character death.Given the snippets of information on the season 5 episode ’Summit’, I’ve written my own version of the kind of story I’d like it to be.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Fall from the Summit

##  Fall from the Summit

##### Written by Kaz   
Comments? Write to us at [karinstaines@freenet.co.uk](mailto:karinstaines@freenet.co.uk)

  * SPOILERS : Summit (from spoilers in Cult Times), Fair Game, The Curse, Fire & Water, Upgrades, Forever in a Day, The Serpent's Lair . 
  * WARNING : Recurring character death. 
  * Given the snippets of information on the season 5 episode 'Summit', I've written my own version of the kind of story I'd like it to be. 
  * PG-13 [A] [Hc] [D] 



* * *

The Goa'uld summit meeting had been in progress for two days. The bickering and lauding had been observed with impassiveness. Any decisions had been mentally noted and fed back during recesses to the Tok'Ra, via the go-between posing as a Jaffa tel'tak pilot.

A loud creaking of door hinges heralded the arrival of another representative. Gliding to an empty seat, the ornately garbed woman, bowed reverently to the others gathered around the large table.

Intrigued by the silence that greeted the new delegate, Daniel Jackson tilted his head slightly and squinted myopically at the group. He was unnerved to see that the blur of a woman, who had just entered the room, seemed to be staring back at him.

Daniel sat in the far corner of the room, with two other slaves. Each wore similar dress, a deep blue tunic and trousers, with bare feet. They were all keeping their heads bowed until someone called for attendance.

"Wine, slave." The newcomer to the table demanded. The man to the right of Daniel began to rise, but the Goa'uld stopped him with a raised hand. "No, you." Nirti's eyes flashed briefly as her finger shot out and pointed at Daniel.

Daniel gulped involuntarily, suddenly certain of the identity of the late arrival, now that he had heard her voice and wanting nothing more than for the ground to swallow him whole. He was convinced Nirti also recognized him, the direct order conveyed as much.

He crossed to the table, trying to avoid eye contact with the Goa'uld and poured some wine from the carafe into her golden goblet. When the vessel was half full, Nirti laid a hand on Daniel's arm for him to stop. It was too intimate a gesture between a Goa'uld and a slave and it worried him. Any moment now, he thought, she's going to tell them who I am...

She didn't.

The hand lingered, unwanted, but to withdraw from the touch would be as good as giving himself away. His gaze flitted quickly around the other representatives at the table. The discussion was back in full swing. No one appeared to notice the attentiveness Nirti was paying to him. 

It wasn't supposed to be like this...

He tried to ignore her grasp. He had a job to do… Shouldn't he be listening to what the others were saying ? Translating, so that he could relay the summit proposals to the Tok'Ra. At the moment though, all he could do was stand frozen and wonder what the hell was going to happen now.

There wasn't supposed to be anyone here who would know him.

* * * * * * * *

"General ?" O'Neill addressed his CO warily as he entered his office. 

"Jack, I have some news."

'Oh, oh,' thought O'Neill, as his stomach clenched uncomfortably. The look on the General's face alone was enough to make him want to run back to the locker room and say goodbye to what little of the breakfast he'd eaten before being summoned.

"I take it, this news is not of the good variety..."

"You could say that, Jack, the Tok'Ra have lied to us." Hammond indicated that O'Neill should sit.

"They've lied to us about a lot of things, Sir. In what way in particular have they done the dirty on us this time ?" O'Neill started to take a seat beside the General.

"The summit."

O'Neill stopped where he was, then stretched his legs to stand again. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.

In a somber tone, Hammond continued, "It was a set up... by both sides, apparently. The Goa'uld wanted the Tok'Ra to know about it so that they could feed them false information..."

"There's an 'and' to this, Sir, isn't there ? I can feel it."

"Yes, there is, Colonel. The Tok'Ra knew that it was a set up... knew from the start."

"What?" O'Neill exclaimed.

"Jack, they requested that we send Doctor Jackson in, to ensure that the Goa'uld would believe that they had bought into the game."

O'Neill dropped into the nearest chair as his legs suddenly refused to keep him standing and put his head in his hands. "Jesus," he sighed. "We have to get him out of there."

"I'm sorry, Jack. In all probability, Doctor Jackson is already dead. The Tok'Ra only contacted us to let us know that he had been compromised. You'd likely be risking your neck to bring back a body."

"I don't care. Sir, you **_know_** Daniel. He could still be alive. He has more than enough information about us and our allies in his head, that they would want to try to extract that from him. We can't give up on him just like that."

"He knew the risks, he didn't go into it blindly, Jack."

"He didn't have to do it at all, he's a civilian, for Christ's sake."

O'Neill remembered when Aldwin had come to tell them about the summit. The Tok'Ra needed to enlist someone willing to go undercover on the heavily fortified ship... someone who could speak Goa'uld... someone who didn't have a symbiote which would have been detected by the delegates... someone with enough wits about them to pull it off. There really was only one candidate. Daniel had spoken up immediately "You want me to go." He'd said quietly. Not a question, but a statement.

Daniel had looked at him then. His eyes intense, searching for approval… an expression that conveyed both the assurance that he could do the job and that he was well aware of what he could be getting into. Their gazes had remained locked for some time and an understanding passed between them. 

"Okay." Daniel had said simply and O'Neill, despite severe misgivings, hadn't objected, out of respect for Daniel's abilities. 

"So," O'Neill shook his head, clearing away the memory of his part in letting Daniel go, of his part in Daniel's apparent downfall, "since this is their almighty screw up, what are the Tok'Ra going to do to help us ?" He leapt up. Adrenaline now flowing readily from anger and fear, he began to pace restlessly.

"At this present time... nothing. If they attempt or assist in a rescue mission, they will jeopardise their operative at the summit proper and they are not prepared to do that."

"Bastards."

"Jack..."

"No, Goddam it, George, don't defend them. Daniel's put his neck on the line for this." In exasperation, O'Neill kicked the wall. His gaze fell on the chipped plaster that was a lasting testament to another Tok'Ra mission that had almost ended in disaster for them. "You said the Tok'Ra think he's been caught... how do they know ?"

"I can probably answer that…" The familiar voice of Jacob Carter drifted over O'Neill's shoulder as the former General entered Hammond's office. "Nirti showed up. She's been trying to get back into favor with the System Lords since you revealed her experiments with phase shifting. She got word of the plan to set up the Tok'Ra and wanted to be in on it. She was the one that contacted Osiris at the real summit to let him know the identity of the spy. Our operative there has informed us that Osiris has now gone to the fake meeting, presumably to deal with Daniel. The benefits of having him must be better than their original plan to feed us useless intel, or Osiris wouldn't have bothered with him." Jacob looked dolefully at O'Neill. "You must have understood that there was a risk of sending one of you into that situation. All of your faces are pretty well known."

"We knew, but there wasn't supposed to be anyone present that we'd encountered before."

"That was the case, until Nirti decided to attend."

O'Neill's attention went from Jacob to Hammond, his jaw set, determined. "I'll go in alone... surely, we owe him a chance."

There was an uneasy silence in the room. O'Neill watched the General as he mulled over his decision.

"You're not going to back down on this are you, Jack ?"

"No. I'll go whether you say I can, or not. I'll retire if I have to." O'Neill's face was set with grim determination.

"It won't come to that." Hammond assured. "You know that I won't be able to give you a GDO. If you manage to get back out, go to Cimmeria and use their special code to signal us."

"I'm going too." Jacob added.

"Doesn't Selmak have something to say about that ?" O'Neill said sarcastically.

"Plenty." Jacob confirmed. The former General was obviously unhappy. "Daniel should never have been used in this way. I'm sorry, Jack, the Tok'Ra waited until I wasn't around before they did this. I would have warned you what they were up to, if I could have."

O'Neill's mouth twitched, he believed the older man, but it was a bit late for apologies… Daniel was in serious trouble.

"I'll have to stay out of the action as much as possible, or Selmak's presence will give us away, but I think I can get us onto the ship if we leave now." Jacob offered. "George ?"

"You have a go. Good luck, Jack, Jake. God speed."

O'Neill saluted Hammond, grateful for his support, then made straight for the locker room.

Jacob turned to Hammond before he left the office. "Whatever you do, George, don't let Sam or Teal'c come after us… promise me."

"You have my word, Jake."

* * * * * * * *

As the cloaked and hooded figure entered the room, trailed by three large Jaffa, the conversation died and the delegates all rose from the table and bowed their heads. What was happening ?

The Goa'uld Summit representatives silently filed out of the room. Nirti had remained until last, receiving an approving nod from the unknown Goa'uld. She smiled lasciviously in return deliberately making eye contact with Daniel as she did so, then followed the others from the room.

The slaves began to leave, but as Daniel moved to go too, the hooded Goa'uld motioned to him to stay where he was and then sat down at the previously unoccupied head of the table. 

The huge double doors swung shut with a resounding clang, sending reverberations through the floor.

Daniel could keep his deferent pose no longer. It was obvious that he had been found out. Nirti must have revealed his identity after all. He was anxious to see who had been summoned to interrogate him.

He had never felt more alone.

Alone… with three Jaffa and the Goa'uld at the head of the table. The Goa'uld who had demanded he stay put… the Goa'uld who had just ordered a Jaffa to either side of him, he flashed a brief grin of resignation to each of them. The Goa'uld who faced him now, cloak discarded, revealed… the Goa'uld who possessed the body of Sarah, his former girlfriend… the Goa'uld that was Osiris.

At least he had managed to get the information away... hadn't he ? Oh, God. What if they'd found out about that too ? The intel had to get back, it just had to.

Osiris brought something out of a small velvet pouch that was tied about its waist and passed it to the third Jaffa.

What was that ?

Daniel's gaze remained fixed on the small metallic jewelled disc in the Jaffa's hand. The guard approached him and held it out, tauntingly, as he circled around him, as if trying to elicit a response. Daniel managed to refrain from giving him that satisfaction, though his stomach felt like it had been tied in knots.

"Sho'nua abu sabaht." The Jaffa on his right hissed menacingly into his ear.

"Naneh. Achim lenk as nerat Goa'uld." He shook his head to emphasize his denial of the accusation. A spy ? No, I'm a loyal servant of Goa'uld.

The third Jaffa finally stopped pacing and remained behind him.

"Do you take me for a fool, Daniel Jackson ?" Osiris asked in English.

"Padera nas akut to'eweh," Daniel told Osiris that he didn't understand the words spoken to him.

"You speak our tongue very well, Doctor Jackson. My host informs me that you are skilled in many languages, though until recently she did not know you had knowledge of ours. You need continue with this ruse no longer. We know of the games the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri have been playing with us. You would be well advised to play _my_ game now, or the consequences for you will be severe."

Osiris gave a nod to the Jaffa.

The two beside him snatched an arm each and held tight, while forcing Daniel to his knees.

He gave an involuntary shiver as he felt the disc approach the nape of his neck. It was cold against his flesh and he thought he could feel it emitting a faint tingle of electrical charge. At first, he wondered if it was just his own over productive imagination playing tricks on him, due to his present situation, but all too soon he became aware that the sensation was real enough.

Daniel drew in a sharp breath as the disc was pressed hard against skin, its tiny attaching claws penetrating deeply.

In front of him, Daniel saw Osiris bring another device out of the pouch. The Goa'uld stroked the luminescent surface with her thumb once and a slight vibration started to creep out through his body, from the disc in the back of his neck. It hummed lightly, until Osiris touched the control device again.

The last things Daniel noticed before his world erupted into all consuming agony, was the high pitched whine screaming at him from somewhere behind his back and the sickening smile on Sarah's face.

* * * * * * * *

O'Neill and Jacob Carter positioned themselves behind a stack of storage chests. They had had little time to discuss a plan of action, but all the while Jacob seemed to have things under control, O'Neill was willing to follow him, until the need for details became necessary.

To the left was the town of Sadallah, the only settlement within miles of the Stargate. The inhabitants lived simply in their wattle and daub huts and worshipped their God, Reshpu, in the temple that was in a large central square.

When they had arrived through the Stargate, O'Neill and Jacob had immediately gone into the town, to procure clothing. The people there were slaves to the Goa'uld attending the summit, of which Reshpu was one. They produced wine and prepared food for them daily.

"It should be here." Jacob said, looking across the flat terrain before them.

"What ?" O'Neill fiddled with the rope belt around his long tunic. The material was rough and made his neck itch where the collar was higher than that of his T-shirt that he had kept on underneath.

"The tel'tak. It comes down from the ship everyday, to get supplies. It's the only way onto the ship, as it hasn't got it's own Stargate. That's how Daniel has been getting the information out. The pilot is on our side."

"Who's **_side_** are we talking about here, Jacob ? Seems to me the Tok'Ra pretty much only think about themselves."

"I understand how you're feeling, Jack."

"Do you ?" O'Neill rounded on Jacob with barely controlled vehemence. "Have you ever sent your best friend on a suicide mission ?"

"I've sent lots of men into battles from which they never returned, Jack, or returned in a heck of a bad state."

"That's not the same and you know it. They were enlisted soldiers, they knew the stakes, it was their job and the battles weren't fake. The Tok'Ra knew this summit was a scam, they knew Daniel was the only one of us who could have gone in, who had any hope of pulling it off and he was doing it, wasn't he ? Getting the information out… useless bloody false information… that's going to cost him his life…"

O'Neill was pleased that Jacob let him air his grievances. He realized that he had to let some of the anger go. With less emotional baggage weighing him down, it would hopefully let him concentrate on the task in hand.

"Heads up, here it comes…" Jacob nodded toward the clumsy looking craft slowly descending through the atmosphere.

* * * * * * * *

Once on board the tel'tak, Jacob and O'Neill found a quiet corner away from the cluster of townsfolk.

There were those newly in service to the Goa'uld who were excited at the adventure and jabbered to each other enthusiastically about the riches that would be bestowed upon loyal servants to the Gods and those more jaded by previous experience. They were the silent ones, watching the rookies amusedly, allowing them a few hours of wonderment before the realization of what it was truly like being a scullion at the beck and call of the Goa'uld sank in.

O'Neill bent his head toward the older man and whispered, "So, how long has Osiris been here ?"

"Near as we can figure… four days." Jacob said with a sigh.

Without reply, O'Neill sank down to the floor and tilted his head back until it touched the elaborately embellished wall behind him. He closed his eyes, hoping that Jacob would assume he was merely conserving energy for the confrontation ahead.

His thoughts, though were far from restful…

Four days… four days, alone. No, worse than that… four days with Osiris.

He was seriously beginning to doubt whether even Daniel could have survived that long at the mercy of Osiris, who, according to the Tok'Ra was one of the most feared and hated Goa'ulds… and that was before he'd been imprisoned in a stasis jar for thousands of years… After which, no doubt he'd be even more intent on showing his dark side.

God.

He had to believe Daniel was still alive…

Thinking of how many other times they'd given the kid up for dead, only to have him bounce right back at them, O'Neill said to himself and any deity that might be listening, 'One more time, please… and I'll never let him outta my sight again…'

He opened his eyes and found Jacob staring at him. "Don't beat yourself up, Jack."

The rest of the journey up to the mother ship passed in strained silence and after the supplies had been unloaded, O'Neill and Jacob detached themselves from the group of slaves and slunk away.

Cautiously, Jacob led O'Neill to the prison bay. All the cells, save one were open. They quickly dealt with the only guard and opened the door.

Inside, a hunched figure raised his head expectantly. "Where is it, then ?"

O'Neill was completely taken aback. It took a few moments to register that the prisoner was not Daniel. "Er, what ?"

"The food." The skinny man exclaimed. "That is why you've come isn't it ?"

"No." O'Neill said brusquely. "Are you the only one here ?"

"I am now... why ?" The man's eyes suddenly narrowed. "You're here to rescue the Tau'ri slave, aren't you ?"

O'Neill furtively looked over each of his shoulders before answering. "What do you know ?"

"The Jaffa... that's how they referred to the other one who was here... 'Tau'ri slave'. He wasn't here long. Osiris took him."

"Where ?"

"From what I could hear, to her personal chambers."

O'Neill shuddered at that news, unnerved as visions of Hathor swam through his mind.

"Come on." Jacob urged O'Neill to leave.

"Take me with you." The prisoner pleaded.

O'Neill and Jacob left without any debate. It was too risky to have anyone else tagging along, let alone someone unknown and they couldn't afford to have another escape jeopardizing the one they already had planned.

On their way to the Goa'uld's private apartments, another slave came out of a side passage carrying a tray laden with food and drinks. O'Neill snatched it from him, while Jacob quizzed him over which room Osiris was in.

Jacob kept out of sight, while O'Neill passed the personal guards to enter Osiris's chamber. He set the tray of refreshments on the low counter by the wall next to the door and then busied himself with arranging dirty platters and goblets on an empty platter. While he worked, he sneaked a look around the palatial room.

His attention was drawn to the huge bed. Lavish throws and cushions were strewn over the large mattress. On the far side was a woman, who he could only assume was Osiris. A slave was helping her with her robe and knelt to put her satin slippers on. Remaining on his knees, presumably awaiting further instruction, the slave quickly adjusted his own attire before his hands dropped to his sides and his head bowed.

O'Neill's stomach lurched nauseously, when he realized that the slave was Daniel Jackson.

A Jaffa came into the room and stepped purposefully toward Osiris. They spoke for a while in Goa'uld. The only clue O'Neill got for what the conversation was about, was when the Jaffa, Osiris and Daniel all turned to look at him, when one of the Jaffa said his name.

Three more Jaffa entered. One stayed by the door, while the other two took flanking positions by O'Neill.

Daniel's head dropped back down, when he noticed Osiris turning toward him.

"Have you come to rescue this one ?" The woman's husky, dual toned voice addressed O'Neill as she waved a hand in Daniel's direction.

"Yes." O'Neill admitted.

Osiris laughed. "The tales I have heard of the Tau'ri speak of your brazenness. I see the description is well deserved." 

"Did they mention the humor, or the sarcasm ? They're my best qualities, you know…"

"They did not." Osiris dismissed his words and paced the room like a prowling cat. "However, the human capacity for compassion is renowned." She continued, amusedly as she roughly grabbed Daniel's hair. "This one says he has compassion for my host. He says he would even have forgiveness in his heart for me, if I denounced my power and joined with the Tau'ri in the fight against Apophis."

"That's probably true. Though that doesn't go for all of us… Daniel's kinda unique when it comes to seeing the other guy's point of view."

"Is he ? Interesting…" Osiris pulled Daniel's hair a little harder, to bring his face up to meet her stare, but his gaze remained offset, unchallenging. "Good, young one, you have learnt your place." She caressed the side of his cheek and abruptly let go of his hair making his head flop back down.

  
"Daniel ?" O'Neill called to his friend, but Daniel didn't respond.

"This one will not answer you. He is mine now." She planted a kiss under his left ear.

O'Neill thought he saw Daniel's eyelids flick at the touch of her lips, but there was no other sign that his friend would fight off her treatment of him.

"You are displeased that this one allows me to treat him as a slave ?"

O'Neill didn’t answer, but he stared defiantly at the Goa'uld.

Osiris scoffed haughtily. "The Tau'ri have such noble thoughts yet, you are his commander, are you not ? Does that not, in effect, make him your slave ? Did he not do your bidding, as he now does mine ?"

"If only…" O'Neill said wistfully.

"Ah, so he did not obey you…"

"Sometimes."

"Did you not seek to quash his rebelliousness ?"

"What ? No ! As annoying as he can be at times, I wouldn't do that. Daniel is not my slave. I don't rule over him with an iron fist. He's a member of my team. He's as entitled to his opinion as I am mine. In fact, his questioning of my orders usually leads to a better solution."

"But, you are angry that he now obeys me, that his will is my will ?"

"Yes."

"Then, perhaps the Tau'ri could learn something from us, after all…" Osiris faced O'Neill again as she crossed to the table by the bed. "You would like to know how we have broken this one's spirit ?"

"Not really, but I'm guessing you're gonna tell me anyway."

"Not tell... show..." Osiris picked up the control device.

Daniel's body immediately tensed. The whiteness of his knuckles made O'Neill cringe, but it angered him more that Daniel made no attempt to fight what he obviously knew was coming.

The Goa'uld's fingers stroked the device.

O'Neill's rage escalated inside him as he heard Daniel's first cry of pain. The jewel on the disc embedded in the back of his neck was glowing red and the colour leached out throughout Daniel's nervous system, effectively lighting him from inside with a deep orange radiance, that beneath the thin tunic and pants, made his body look like a tinted x-ray.

Even from this distance, O'Neill could see that Daniel was barely able to breathe. As Osiris released the control, Daniel slumped to the floor, his muscles continuing to spasm uncontrollably.

O'Neill strained against the Jaffa, wanting to get to Daniel. He wondered what Osiris's motives were, when he saw the woman's head nod to them to let him go. He didn't care if she used his concern against him later, he just knew he had to help Daniel now.

He rushed to Daniel's side, thankful that the convulsions had died down, but concerned that the effects of the device left Daniel shivering and harshly trying to draw air into deprived lungs, while soft whimpers escaped his bluish lips.

As if that wasn't enough, O'Neill's blood began to boil when he saw that this was apparently not the only form of abuse his young friend had suffered. He hadn't gotten a good view of Daniel's face until now, when he was confronted by the sight of a particularly nasty looking crusted line of a burn that looked infected and wasn't healing. It ran the down the side of his cheek; went over his closed eyelid and continued at an angle over his forehead up into his hair. O'Neill guessed a heated poker had been pressed against his face.

Then there were the fingers of Daniel's left hand… bruised, scraped of skin and gnarled horribly into a claw like grip, obviously broken and left untreated.

The Doc was going to need some help with that, assuming he could get Daniel back to Fraiser of course...

"Daniel, I'm here, okay ?" O'Neill pulled Daniel up, but the most the weakened body could manage was a kind of listing kneel, propped against the older man. "Danny ?"

A faint recognition in the crystal blue eyes sparkled briefly before Osiris spoke again.

"Did the Tau'ri think that we would be so naive to not detect the spy in our midst ? This summit was a subterfuge; we knew that it would draw attention away from the real negotiations necessary to secure alliances with the other System Lords sympathetic to our cause. The Tok'Ra are gullible fools, but we are grateful to them, they have done us a great service this day, delivering those who would oppose us.

"Apophis will soon be defeated... and so will the Tau'ri and the Tok'Ra.

"It will be a great day when we have eliminated you all. Then the Asgard will feel the might of our power, we are no longer deceived by their claims of superiority, they will bow to us as all those who are inferior will lay down in reverence to us."

"Oh, yeah ? If we're so inferior how come we've managed to kick so many of your butts over the years ?" O'Neill retorted.

"The System Lords that you have killed were of no importance. They were arrogant to think that they could work alone and stupid enough to leave themselves open to attack. That will not be the case now that so many of us are in allegiance. We shall not be vanquished."

"Pride comes before a fall, ya know."

"Yes, this is a term with which I have recently become familiar. I believe it is a sentiment which my host holds in reference to this one." Osiris pointed at Daniel, who flinched from the attention. O'Neill rubbed his hand up and down the younger man's arm. He would be damned if he would let the Goa'uld hurt Daniel again.

"Yeah ? Well, she's a bitch."

"Don't, Jack." Daniel whispered.

"Ha," Osiris laughed deeply. "My slave knows his place. You shall not slight my host."

"I thought you snake heads denied the presence of their hosts' consciences."

"This host has been most useful. Her knowledge has helped us to plan our attack of your planet. Also, it has been amusing to see how the mere sight of this body causes this one pain and the touch from her...." Osiris stepped purposefully toward the kneeling men. Her hand stretched out and stroked Daniel's face, lovingly. His head dropped, his breath came in shuddering gasps. "You see ? The guilt this one feels over my host's possession is considerable."

"It wasn't his fault." O'Neill proclaimed, as much for Daniel's benefit as for Osiris. He was becoming increasingly irritated that the Goa'uld repeatedly referred to 'his host' and 'this one' as if they had no names of their own. Typical denigrating snaky behaviour.

"My host feels differently and we have told him so."

"I told you she was a bitch."

"Slave."

O'Neill grimaced as Daniel obediently raised his head at the address.

"The one you call 'Jack' would kill me to save you." The woman's head turned to face O'Neill. "Is this not so ?"

"You betcha."

"What if the slave would rather die in her place ?"

O'Neill flicked his attention back to Daniel. "No way."

"Slave ?"

"I don't want Sarah to die."

O'Neill's face dropped. How was he going to get Daniel out of here if Daniel himself was unable to fight the control Osiris appeared to have over him ? Suddenly, coming in here alone seemed to have been a very bad idea indeed.

Osiris leered, relishing the responses of both men. "Very good."

The expression soon changed when Daniel's head snapped up. "But I don't want to die either."

O'Neill was happy to hear that and even more heartened when Daniel jumped to his feet, dug his elbow into the nearest Jaffa and deftly caught the staff weapon that the startled guard dropped.

Lunging at the Jaffa next to him, O'Neill grabbed the staff out of his hands and swung it around to blast Daniel's guard.

Osiris dropped back, watching the exchange with amusement. As O'Neill, brought the weapon up to face the Goa'uld, Osiris thumbed the button on the control device. The blast hit Sarah's body high in the chest and she staggered back. The reflex caused the button to be fully depressed and Daniel fell to his knees, both hands pressed tightly to the sides of his head.

O'Neill grabbed a zat gun from one of the dead Jaffa. Aiming coolly at Osiris, the final words to come from Sarah's lips registered seconds after he fired the third shot.

"If you kill me, you will lose him."

Osiris, Sarah's body and the control device she still held disappeared.

O'Neill crossed quickly to Daniel. He had expected that with the device gone, the disc would cease to operate, but quite the reverse seemed to be happening. The jewel in the disc had changed colour… now almost white, the intensity of the charge it was emitting was increasing.

Daniel's mouth was open in a silent scream, his body rigid with the contraction of his muscles from the extreme power surging through him.

O'Neill tried to pull the disc off, but his hand was repelled by a strong shock that burned his fingers even from a few inches away. God, what was that thing doing to Daniel ? Was this what Osiris had meant ? With the control device destroyed, there was nothing to stop the disc discharging fully, presumably resulting in Daniel's death.

Acting quickly, O'Neill did the only thing he could think of to end his friend's suffering. He fired the zat gun at the disc. As the energy of the shot seemed to be absorbed, the device hummed louder as the pitch notched up.

Abruptly, the sound ceased and in the next moment, the disc shattered, sending tiny blackened shards of metal streaking into the air. Some of the pieces sizzled and sparked in the residual blue-white lightning still coursing around Daniel's body as he crumpled lifelessly to the floor.

There was a noise outside the room. O'Neill quickly flattened himself against the wall behind the door, which was slowly opening.

"Jack ?" Jacob Carter emerged. "I think our friend from the cells talked. We should go. Have you…" When his eyes located the motionless form on the floor and didn't bother with the rest of his first question.

O'Neill stepped out from his hiding place and knelt by Daniel. His hand went to the young man's neck.

"What happened ? Is he okay ?" Jacob asked, crossing to join him.

"Shit." O'Neill exclaimed, his hand positioning and repositioning under Daniel's jaw line, desperately trying to find a pulse. There was none. His hand became a tight fist and he thumped down hard on Daniel's breastbone. He listened briefly at his chest and unsatisfied with the lack of internal activity began pushing on the unmoving ribcage in a steady rhythm, trying to coax the stilled heart back to life.

Jacob got down on the floor and watched for O'Neill to finish his first count of five. He leaned over and blew a deeply into Daniel's inert lungs.

Both men were relieved that it only took another two sets of compressions, before Daniel's chest lurched and he began to draw shuddering breaths of his own.

"Thank God." Pulling Daniel into a sitting position, O'Neill clamped his hands to the sides of his friend's face and peered into the icy blue eyes.

"Daniel, Danny, you with me ?"

Daniel's eyes narrowed and focussed on a point somewhere near O'Neill's face.

"Daniel ?"

"Jack ?"

"Got it in one. You okay ?" He put a hand under Daniel's chin and lifted his head to get a better view of the expressive face, knowing that it would give him more clues as to his friend's well-being than his words ever could.

"Um," Daniel started.

"Right, how many fingers am I holding up ?"

Daniel stared at the hand O'Neill held in front of his eyes. Hesitantly, he stammered, "F-four ?"

"So close," O'Neill huffed, taking down his closed fist. "Daniel, can you see anything at all ?"

"S'abit blurry..." Daniel confessed, dazedly.

"Ya don't say." He chuckled, but was nevertheless worried at Daniel's condition.

"Come on guys, we've gotta go." Jacob returned from the doorway.

O'Neill got round the back of Daniel and put his hands under his shoulders and lifted him up. "Okay ?"

"Think so," Daniel said as he swayed. O'Neill gripped him tighter while he found his feet. He managed two faltering steps before his hand came up to clutch at O'Neill's cloak. After missing the cloth entirely on the first two attempts, his fingers finally snagged the cloak's edge. "S-stop." He slurred. "Jack, I… I don't f-feel so g…"

O'Neill just saw Daniel's iris's disappear as his eyes rolled back, his head followed and O'Neill caught him before he could fall. "Jacob !"

"I'll go first, make sure the coast's clear." Jacob moved back to the door and stuck his head out quickly glancing both ways before calling to O'Neill that it was safe to proceed.

O'Neill bent over Daniel and pulled him up and over his left shoulder. He tucked his left hand under the cord belt around Daniel's waist for extra grip and followed Jacob out of the room.

Both soldiers were surprised that they met with little resistance on the way back down to the tel'tak. Most of the Jaffa they had seen were easily avoided and they had only been challenged twice. Once by a slave that had served with Daniel, who wanted to know what Osiris had done to him and once by a Jaffa who seemed satisfied that they were taking the slave back to his quarters after being punished by his master.

O'Neill found himself very grateful for the extreme arrogance of the Goa'uld that made them complacent in their security arrangements.

They boarded the tel'tak. O'Neill settled Daniel on the floor by the door of the bridge, where he would be able to keep an eye on him. He tapped Daniel's cheek lightly to see if he would wake up. Daniel briefly opened his eyes, murmured something unintelligible without focussing on O'Neill and closed his eyes again. 

O'Neill patted the young man's chest gently. "Sleep tight, Danny-boy, we're taking you home."

Jacob took the controls of the vessel and guided it out of the mother ship. He landed the tel'tak as near to the Stargate as he could.

Taking a cautious peep out of the doors first, Jacob ran to the DHD, followed by O'Neill with Daniel slung over his shoulder.

After setting Daniel carefully on the ground, O'Neill began to dial the address for Cimmeria, when movement from off to his side caught his eye.

Nirti stepped languorously from behind the storage containers, between the ship and the 'gate. "So, we meet again..."

"And everyone accuses **_me_** of using clichés..." O'Neill snorted, finishing slapping the sequence of symbols.

"You will be the key to my reinstatement to full System Lord status. Apophis will reward me well."

"I thought you were working for Osiris..."

"I will ally myself with whosoever I believe has most to offer."

"Ah, quite the mercenary, aren't we ?" He pressed the center crystal, keeping his gaze on the opening wormhole… the way home… rather than the representation of the Hindu Goddess.

"Osiris must be dead, if you are not."

"Yep."

"It is useless, human, you will never make it to the Chaapa'ai." She walked forward. "Jaffa, kree !" she ordered. Dutifully two Jaffa came from behind the crates to flank her on either side and levelled their staff weapons at them. Several more came out to form a line behind her.

Jacob pulled the zat gun from his belt and shifted around the DHD.

"Jacob ?" O'Neill was curious as to what the older man intended.

"Go, Jack, get Daniel out of here." He flicked his head in the direction of the unconscious archaeologist.

"But..."

"Jack, it's okay. I had a few extra years. Saw some amazing things. Take care of Sam and tell her that I love her, okay ? And that I'm proud of her. It's been a blast, Jack. Good luck." Jacob took O'Neill's hand and shook it firmly. A thin smile reassured the younger man that the former General knew exactly what he was doing and he bore no regrets. "Now, go."

Jacob stood up and walked toward the oriental Goa'uld. Selmak was speaking now, letting the other alien know how much he was despised. The Tok'Ra did not get chance to finish his rhetoric, Nirti's Jaffa fired repeatedly at Jacob Carter's body. 

He went down under the onslaught of staff weapon blasts, his eyes flashed briefly as the symbiote's strength tried to overcome the damage, but it was too great. Jacob and Selmak were dead.

Using the distraction, O'Neill hefted Daniel's unresponsive body onto his shoulder once more and broke cover. Pumping his legs as hard as he could under the added burden, he ran up the ramp to the waiting ride home. Two staff blasts hit the shimmering pool seconds later.

As he exited the Stargate, he was enveloped by cool air. Winter was nearly upon Cimmeria. The change of atmosphere was as much of a shock to his system as was the realization that Jacob Carter had just given up his life to allow their escape.

Three familiar figures stepped from a nearby tent. Carter, Teal'c and Gerwyn ran over to greet him.

"What are you doing here ?" O'Neill asked gruffly as he stumbled down the stone dais.

"General Hammond sent us, O'Neill, so that we could assist you in getting home." Teal'c replied.

"Then dial us outta here, Teal'c, Danny here needs the doc." O'Neill lifted his arm to pat Daniel's back. He received a low groan in response.

Teal'c had begun pressing the symbols for home, when Carter hit upon the question O'Neill had been dreading.

"W-where's Dad ?"

He didn't want to have to do this here, there was no time to break the news gently… they had to get Daniel to medical help… but how could he tell her bluntly that her father was dead ? It was not the sort of thing you could do while on the run from one planet to another. It would be too cruel, without explanation, without reasons.

Carter would have to understand. When he'd announced that Daniel was staying behind on Klorel's ship she hadn't questioned his statement. He had known that she realized exactly what his words meant. He trusted that from his unwillingness to answer her now, she would have some idea of what had happened and hoped that by the time they got home, she would have been able to prepare herself for the inevitable.

With the event horizon shimmering invitingly, the team bade a quick farewell to Gerwyn and hurriedly took the steps up to the 'gate,

O'Neill's legs buckled almost as soon as his feet began clanging on the metal ramp. His muscles quivering from the strain, he let Daniel be lifted from him by the waiting medics.

General Hammond pounded into the embarkation room. He glanced at the inert body being wheeled passed him. The frantic activity around the gurney would not have been necessary for a corpse. A smile crossed his lips as he sought out O'Neill.

"I see the mission was successful, Colonel."

O'Neill considered his answer to that. As Carter and Teal'c came down the ramp behind him, he turned to include them in what he had to say.

"Carter, General, I regret to inform you that Jacob Carter is dead. He engaged in a fire-fight with several Jaffa, so that I could get Daniel out."

"You're sure that it ended badly, Colonel ? What about Selmak ? I thought…"

"No hope, Sir." O'Neill said simply. "Carter ?" He moved toward the Major. Putting military protocol aside, he encircled his arms around her. "I'm sorry."

Carter pushed him off. Eyes blazing with grief she ran from the room.

O'Neill and Hammond watched her go.

"We'll debrief when you've had chance to clean up, Colonel." Hammond informed O'Neill.

"Yes, Sir." O'Neill replied quietly. He felt unable to move, his gaze still locked on the doorway, where he'd seen Carter last. As if sensing his current state, Teal'c came alongside him and guided him from the room with a hand under his elbow.

* * * * * * * *

"How's he doin' ?" O'Neill caught Doctor Fraiser's arm as she moved away from Daniel's bed.

"He'll be fine, Colonel. All the scans show that the swelling is going down, his reflexes have improved considerably…"

O'Neill interrupted her, "What about his eyes ?" 

"Responding correctly, that was a result of the swelling of the membrane around the brain as well. Like I said, now that it's receding, so are the effects."

He sighed in relief. "And his hand ?"

Fraiser gave a tight smile, "It'll require some surgery. I've already spoken to the plastic surgeon at the hospital, he's coming over tomorrow to take a look." Fraiser lowered her voice for a question of her own. "How's Sam ?"

"She hasn't been down here ?"

"No… I thought she might want to talk about things, but I haven't seen or heard from her. She hasn't even come to see how Daniel is."

"Hmmm." O'Neill was puzzled. "I'll see if I can find out what's going on. She must still be here… she hasn't requested any leave. Can I see him first ?"

"Of course." Fraiser stepped aside to let him pass.

"Hi." Daniel's eyes popped open as O'Neill approached the bed.

"Hey, I thought you'd be asleep. How're ya feelin' ?"

"Better, thanks. I wish someone would tell me what's going on though. I don't even know how I got here… I remember you, but there was somebody else… I couldn't see well enough, his voice…"

"It was Jacob Carter, Daniel. He came with me."

"Jacob ? I'll have to thank him when…"

"He's dead, Daniel."

"Wha… ? No. How ? I mean…"

  
"Save it, Daniel. Rest for now, okay ? You don't need details at the moment. I just thought you should know in case Sam comes to see you."

"Sam… oh my God, poor Sam."

"Yeah, she's pretty upset. Look, I'm just going to see if I can find her. Do you mind ?"

"No, no, of course not. I'm okay. She needs you more than I do right now. Go on. Give her my condolences." Daniel shifted restlessly.

O'Neill guessed it would be quite some time before he got back to sleep after that news. He intended to have a quiet word with Fraiser about that on the way out.

"Jack, before you go…"

"What ?"

"I just wanted to say, 'Thanks', you know for…"

"Anytime, buddy. Now get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

After O'Neill called in at her office, Fraiser went to get some sedative.

Sam shrunk back against the wall as O'Neill pushed his way through the infirmary doors, then entered cautiously. She could see Fraiser going into the closet at the far end of the room, so she walked quietly up to Daniel's bed.

He looked up as she approached. "Sam… I'm s…"

Carter cut him off. "Save it, Daniel," she said bluntly. "I just wanted to see with my own eyes that you're okay… make sure that my Dad didn't die in vain." She turned before the tears started to fall again and ran from the infirmary.

"Sam ?" Daniel called after her, worried by what she had said. He wished he could remember what had happened. Was he to blame for Jacob's death ? Oh, God. "Sam !"

* * * * * * * *

The infirmary was quiet as O'Neill approached Daniel's bed. On seeing him, the archaeologist propped himself up higher against his pillows.

"Jack ?" Daniel swallowed, before asking the question he felt he already knew the answer to, "Sarah ?"

"Osiris was killing you, Daniel... I had to."

Daniel nodded slowly, digesting the half-hidden message... Sarah was dead.

"Why, Jack ?"

O'Neill started to speak, but Daniel carried on, he didn't want to know why Jack had killed Sarah, that was obvious, but there was a deeper dilemma he required an explanation for.

"What's so special about me, that everyone has to die, to save me ? Sha'uri, Sarah, Jacob..."

"It was the only way, Daniel. You'd gladly lay down your life to save a friend. Hell, you have done... for me... and I wasn't even your friend then."

"It doesn't make sense."

"It never does. I'm not sure that it's supposed to." Was this what Osiris had meant ? That by killing Sarah, Daniel would be lost to him... So, Osiris must have pillaged Sarah's thoughts as completely as he'd intimated. There was no way the Goa'uld could have understood the kind of compassion Daniel would feel toward the combined creature trying to kill him... that had to have come from Sarah... "All I know is... I'd do it again, if I had to."

"Would you ? What if it was Sam, Jack ? Would you be able to kill Sam, just to save me ?"

O'Neill hesitated, maybe a fraction too long, "Yes, if it was the only way..."

"But you'd try to find an alternative first, wouldn't you ? Not go straight to the quickest way out of a bad situation... Why couldn't that have happened for the others ? "

"Daniel..."

"No, Jack, I need to know."

"There wasn't time. If Teal'c hadn't acted when he did; if I hadn't killed Sarah... we wouldn't be having thus conversation."

"But did they have to die ? Wasn't there some other way to stop them that wasn't so... final ? You were going to Cimmeria anyway, couldn't you have tried to get 

Sarah there too ?"

"We barely got you out, as it was... Jacob..."

"Yes, Jacob... Sam will never forgive me..."

"Sam's hurting right now, but she'll come around. She will understand the decision he made."

"Will she ? Because I don't."

"Jacob knew what he was doing. You gave him the chance to die the way a soldier should... fighting. He didn't want to waste away in some hospital bed, robbed of his dignity, drugged up and waiting for the inevitable. If you hadn't opened the Stargate, we would never have met the Tok'Ra and given him a worthwhile and meaningful last few years of his life."

Daniel was silent.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yes."

"Good." O'Neill leant in closer to Daniel. "Don't ever think that you're not worth saving more than someone else."

* * * * * * * *

Cautiously, Daniel entered Carter's lab. He winced at the sight of her hunched over the desk without any movement to indicate that she was working.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the forlorn woman and gently laid a hand on her back. There was no response to his touch, so he summoned his courage and began… "Sam... about Jacob..."

"Go away, Daniel." Carter's voice was rough… throaty with having cried for a long, long time.

"Sam, please..."

She kept her back to him, but her head had lifted to make sure that he heard her words. "I don't want to hear it, Daniel… Any of it… How my dad gave his life to save yours. I don't want to hear about how he was a hero. I just... I just want him back." Her fist slammed onto the desk in a desperate bid to keep the tears at bay, to let the anger take over and put an end to the display of weakness.

"I know you do."

Despite her obvious attempts to ignore that he wanted to comfort her, Daniel pulled her into a hug, feeling her tears dampen his T-shirt. Eventually her stiff posture slackened and she melted into his embrace. Leaning her head against his chest she whispered, "What am I going to tell Mark ?"

"The truth."

"You know I can't tell him anything about the Stargate."

"That's not what I meant. You tell him that Jacob was a great man and that he died a hero. You tell him how much Jacob loved him and his wife and their children."

Carter broke down; sobbing in great shuddering heaves wrapped in Daniel's arms. 

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what ?"

"Sorry that he died, for me."

"Oh no, Daniel, don't." Carter sputtered. Regaining some composure, she wiped her eyes on the Kleenex that Daniel passed her. "He thought a lot of you, you know..."

"He did ?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for taking it out on you, Daniel. I know it wasn't your fault."

"You're hurting, Sam. It makes it easier to deal with if you think you can find someone to blame."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Trust me," he said. "I know." His eyes darkened.

"You forgave Teal'c for what he had to do."

"Forgave him, yes, I did, but it took time to realize that I meant it. I blamed a lot of people... Teal'c, Apophis, even Jack for not getting to the tent quicker, but in the end there was only one person to blame - me - for not being there to protect her in the first place. At least you had no part in your father's death to blame yourself for, whereas I do... and Sarah as well."

"Oh, Daniel." She hadn't even given Sarah a thought in all this, she'd been so caught up in her own grief. Daniel was hurting too and not only over Sarah, it seemed… "I'm sorry, I've been so selfish, Daniel. I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, Sam, I understand."

"You always do. How can you… how can you just take it all… everything that you've been through, everyone that you've lost ?"

"Had plenty of practise, I guess," he said, without a hint of humor.

Carter regarded his sombre expression.

"It gets easier, Sam… it never goes away… you just have to think of what you had… remember the good things."

"Sounds simple."

"It's not, believe me, but you don't have to go through it alone. We're here for you."

"It works both ways, Daniel, don't forget that."

"I promise… if you do too."

"'kay."

She pulled away from him slightly and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He responded by closing his arms around her tighter and dropping his head on her shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time.

* * * * * * * *

O'Neill clutched the cloth to his chest. The image of Carter and Hammond at Jacob's memorial ceremony, letting go of the wreath as the wormhole swallowed it, played on his mind. It was too similar to another memory…

"What's that ?"

Huh ?" O'Neill fumbled with the folded material of stars and stripes, trying to quickly stuff it back in the drawer. Trying to block Daniel's view of what he was holding, he said, "Thought you'd gone with Carter."

"I tried to persuade her, but she said it was something she needed to do alone." Daniel explained. "I think she's uncertain of the reception she's going to get from Mark when he hears the news. Their relationship is still a bit strained."

O'Neill still didn't turn, even though he knew Daniel had walked over to stand behind him.

"I thought Sam was taking that with her to give to Mark."

'Damn,' O'Neill thought, 'Wasn't quick enough.' "What ? This ?" He asked. Holding out the triangular wedge of flag. "This isn't Jacob's."

"Oh."

Knowing that Daniel wasn't going to probe further, O'Neill offered the identity of the owner. "It's yours…"

"Mine ?"

"Yeah, from your first memorial service, you know, when Nem…"

"You kept that ?"

"I thought that maybe if I already had one, I'd never get another…"

  
"Oh." A small grin spread over Daniel's face, lighting his eyes.

"What ?" O'Neill asked, grouchily.

  
"That's… sweet."

"Yeah… don't get any ideas."

"No, really," Daniel suppressed his smile, a more familiar frown of concern took its place. "I appreciate the thought."

"Yeah, well…" O'Neill placed the flag back in the drawer; sorry that Daniel's smile had been replaced with a look of worry. The kid thought he'd hurt his feelings by being more than touched by his gesture of self-comfort. Why did he always assume that to be amused by something was so wrong ? "Just don't volunteer for any more of the Tok'Ra's hair-brained schemes, okay ?"

"Okay."

"Good." O'Neill clapped Daniel on the shoulder, which had the desired effect of getting him to lift his face. Scrutinizing the fading red line still marring his friend's features, O'Neill decided to lighten the mood. "Now, since we have some leave, how about a spot of fishing ?"

Daniel looked down at the plaster covering his hand. "You'll have to **_cast_** for me." The smile returned.

"Quite the comedian when you want to be, huh, Daniel ?"

"Learned from the best, Jack." Daniel ducked his head, shyly.

"As long as you remember that."

"Don't suppose you'll let me forget it."

"True… Fishing ?" O'Neill used the hand still resting on Daniel's shoulder to turn him toward the door.

"'kay." Daniel stopped. Guilt ravaged his thoughts. Should they be considering going off to relax and enjoy themselves after what had happened ? Then he realized, this was Jack's way of dealing with it all and suddenly it didn't seem like such a bad idea… "We aren't going to catch anything are we ?"

Ruffled, O'Neill asked, "What's Teal'c been saying ?"

"He was a bit bemused that **_fishing_** didn't actually involve catching fish." Daniel declared.

"It's an art…" O'Neill defended his beloved pastime as he got Daniel moving again. "Do you want to catch fish ?"

"Not really." Daniel confessed.

"That's alright then."

Laughing, the two men headed for the elevator.

 

**The End**

  


* * *

  


> Many thanks to Jmas as usual for beta-ing.

* * *

>   
> © June 23, 2001 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television,   
> Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd.   
> Partnership.  
> This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and   
> solely meant for entertainment.   
> All other characters, the story idea and the story itself   
> are the sole property of the author.   
> 

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End file.
